Category Archives: Historical

World War II home front collectibles have become a growing interest for Jim and me, so we were very happy to add a few new items to our collection during the course of our road trip. Pictured is a grouping … Continue reading →

Just over two years ago, I wrote my first article about shoe shine boxes, those humble survivors of life in urban America. Since that time I have added a few more examples to my collection which I would like to … Continue reading →

Today marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day, a somber yet triumphant anniversary to be sure. Thousands of American troops became casualties as they stormed the beaches of Normandy in a successful effort to wrest control of Europe from Hitler and … Continue reading →

As a long time Disney collector, I have learned that there is a ton of junk on the market with Disney characters on it. At this point it takes a special or rare piece of Disneyana to get me excited. … Continue reading →

This month is the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I remember that day well, as does anyone else who happened to be alive at the time. Perhaps it’s because I was a kid – in … Continue reading →

My apologies on the flash flare. This thing wasn’t easy to photograph! It probably isn’t much of a secret that circuses would sometimes exaggerate in their advertising. A case in point is the subject of this article. Were the Giraffe-Neck … Continue reading →

It might be more appropriate to talk about Uncle Sam around the Fourth of July, when symbols of patriotism abound. He dresses in red, white, and blue, after all, and sometimes has stars on the brim of his hat and … Continue reading →

It seems like ages since I have written an article for The Collector Gene, so I wanted to come back with one of my favorite pieces from my collection. I have been waiting to write about this one for a … Continue reading →

The seventeenth season of PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow” just started recently. I have to admit that of all the shows dealing with antiques that have aired over the years, I still like this one the best. Based on the even longer … Continue reading →

Since we last gave attention to Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican, it seems only fair that while the election season is still only a few weeks behind us, we pay some attention to his Democratic predecessor – Harry S. Truman. It … Continue reading →